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Vietnamese PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng (R) and New Zealander PM John Key (L) shake hands at the press briefing after their talks, Hà Nội, July 12, 2010 – Photo: VGP/Nhật Bắc
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PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng warmly welcomed the visit of his New Zealander counterpart, especially in the context that the two countries are marking the 35th anniversary of diplomatic ties.
The visit, according to the Vietnamese Government chief, will add a new impetus to the bilateral ties.
Both PM Dũng and PM John Key were satisfied with the fine developments of the friendly ties and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, which were upgraded to a comprehensive partnership in September 2009. They also applauded the signing of the Action Plan for the 2010-2013 period to actualize the relations.
Mr. John Key congratulated Việt Nam for fulfilling the mission as the Chair of ASEAN in 2010 while believing that Việt Nam could take advantage of its large, young and dynamic population to rebound in the upcoming time.
The New Zealander PM also agreed with proposals of PM Dũng to bolster bilateral ties in all fields.
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Việt Nam-New Zealand high-ranking talks, Hà Nội, July 12, 2010 – Photo: VGP/Nhật Bắc
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New opportunities for better cooperation
Mr. John Key was convinced that the validity of the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA) since January 2010 and Việt Nam’s negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement (TPP) will open the door for further trade linkages between the two nations.
The guest leader also unveiled that New Zealand would donate US $7.1 million in aid for Việt Nam in the fiscal year of 2010-2011.
PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng appreciated New Zealand for raising ODA and granting postgraduate scholarships for Việt Nam.
The two PMs also vowed to coordinate with each other in regional and international forums./.
By Kim Anh
